The Los Angeles Rams are on the road Sunday, visiting the Arizona Cardinals for the first time all season. Coming off a demoralizing loss to the Ravens, the Rams need a win in the worst way possible.
A loss would sink them below .500 for the first time in the Sean McVay era, almost ensuring they won’t make the playoffs in the very competitive NFC race. They’re favored over the Cardinals, but it’s not a huge spread at only 2.5 points, which says a lot about the state of the Rams against a 3-7-1 team.
The experts still like Los Angeles, but not overwhelmingly. According to NFL Pick Watch, only 54% are picking the Rams to win this game straight-up.
Of all the games this week, that’s the tightest margin of expert picks in the league. The Cardinals are much better than their 3-7-1 record indicates, and they nearly beat the 49ers twice in the last month.
The Rams need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and avoid an alarming downward spiral after starting the year 3-0.